The Welder September/October 2017

Merrill Fabricators, Alma, Mich., is a heavy-duty fabricator capable of manufacturing weldments up to 200,000 lbs. and bending plates up to 38 feet long. It’s a work environment that has the potential to be very dangerous, but management and fabricators work together to ensure everyone leaves in the same condition they arrived for work that day.

Half the battle in GTAW starts with your tungsten electrode. Paying attention to details, such as choosing the right tungsten and achieving the correct electrode geometry, tip preparation, and surface finish, can make all the difference in your end result.

Though welders come in all types and from all walks of life, the one thing they all have in common is a passion for their craft.

Submerged arc welding can substantially improve deposition rates, but it is best-suited to certain applications. Learn about the submerged arc welding process here.

The Consumables Corner team explains why a company may be having trouble achieving a full-penetration weld with submerged arc welding (SAW).

Earlier this year Kyle Layman, co-owner/general manager of Layman Fabrication Inc., a small but growing job shop in North Vernon, Ind., was frustrated with the lack of soft skills he found in prospective employees. So he took to LinkedIn and wrote a post that many small-business owners in the metal fabricating arena can relate to: Where are all the skilled, motivated, hard-working people? Layman discusses what led up to his post and how his company is dealing with this hot-button issue.

Joel Hester, owner and operator of Weld House has found moderate success by fabricating custom furniture with junkyard automotive metal. But the real story lies in Hester’s willingness to risk everything to live and work on his own terms. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s an ongoing journey of self-discovery and Hester is all in.

Unless specified by a WPS, the number of weld passes is really determined by only a couple of factors and your welding skills.

Frank Armao shares some tricks for welding very thick aluminum used in molding applications.

Welder Jason Marburger couldn’t really understand why he was using a squaring frame, just like a carpenter, as he worked on projects over the years. One day he decided to design a better tool. Today the welder is also a welding equipment entrepreneur.